Particularly, the use of chemicals in agriculture is under scrutiny.
The European Commission states that current measures against water pollution are insufficient. According to several studies, nitrate and other agricultural chemicals are major causes of poor water quality. Especially in regions with intensive farming, rivers, lakes, and groundwater are severely polluted.
For this reason, the Commission wants to tighten the existing Nitrates Directive. The proposal calls, among other things, for a reduction of water consumption by ten percent by 2030. The Commission points to increasing drought problems in Europe and warns of possible consequences for food security and biodiversity.
According to multiple sources, the proposal is controversial within the European Parliament. Fierce opposition is expected especially in the Agriculture Committee and among agricultural interest groups. They fear that stricter environmental rules will come at the expense of farmers and put pressure on food production.
Another point of contention is the political sensitivity surrounding the Green Deal’s environmental and climate laws. According to Politico, members of the EPP, the largest group in the European Parliament, have demanded that every reference to the Green Deal be removed from the draft report on water management—even the phrase ‘Green Deal’ is not to be mentioned.
Criticism from the Parliament is not limited to the content alone. According to reports, there are also objections to the European Commission’s communication: it allegedly presents the proposals as technical and necessary, while the implications for agriculture and the economy are politically charged.
Several sources note a growing trend where short-term interests, such as economic growth and food supply, seem to weigh more heavily than long-term sustainability measures. However, the Commission emphasizes that inaction increases the risk of structural drought and environmental damage.
Still, the European Commission appears determined to push the proposal forward. It points to previous commitments by EU countries for better environmental protection that have so far been insufficiently fulfilled. It remains unclear in what form the proposal will ultimately be adopted. What is clear is that water management is rising higher on the Brussels agenda.